ARTMargins Workshop at UC Berkeley Explores Friendship in Art Histories

On November 7, 2025, UC Berkeley will host an ARTMargins Workshop titled "Friendship: Writing Art Histories in Relation." The event invites papers examining friendship's role in art historical contexts, particularly within anti-colonial struggles and decolonization movements. Methodological challenges at the margins of language, race, class, and sexuality will be addressed, including how to assess networks and interpret correspondence. Participants are encouraged to explore depictions, theories, and practices of friendship, as well as peer-to-peer connections and mutual aid. The workshop aligns with ongoing editorial projects at ARTMargins focusing on solidarity and friendship. Cold War-era friendship societies and artist exchanges between nations serve as historical examples of proto-political relations operating outside state interests. Ephemeral sources and underground spaces represent additional areas of inquiry for this symposium.